Among the many nutritional powerhouses known as superfoods are flaxseeds, which have a mildly nutty taste alongside their major health benefits. Besides being good for your gut and promoting regularity, consuming these tiny brown seeds regularly has been shown to reduce total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and improve blood sugar control. They have also been found to decrease some inflammatory markers in the body.
“Flaxseeds are great for your gut, heart, and overall metabolic health,” says Jackie Newgent, a registered dietitian-nutritionist, chef, and author of The Plant-Based Diabetes Cookbook. Because of their cardiometabolic benefits, some researchers have even suggested that these tiny seeds have the potential to promote healthy aging and longevity.
Most of these perks stem from the seeds’ high fiber content, omega-3 fatty acids, and lignans, which act as antioxidants. Flaxseeds also contain protein, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium.
When it comes to fiber, flaxseeds consist of both soluble and insoluble fiber. The former, which helps with cholesterol reduction and blood sugar regulation, accounts for 25 percent of the fiber in these small seeds, while the latter, which promotes faster transit of foods through the GI tract, accounts for 75 percent.
(You don’t just need more fiber—you need different types, experts say.)